Southco's new delayed re-lock electronic rotary latches

Most of us operated a rotary latch the last time we opened a car door. It holds the door tight when closed but can be opened with a simple pull on the car handle. Seems pretty easy, right? So do we really need to hook wires up to it and have a motor open it for us? Well, in a lot of cases…yes! The simple addition of electronics to a standard rotary latch opens a new world of possibilities.

A mechanical rotary latch is commonly opened with a cable that is routed to it from an actuator, usually a handle or button. Depending on the cable routing and the closing force of the latch, it may require a significant amount of effort to open. An electronic rotary latch is actuated by a signal rather than a cable. The gear-motor drive opens the latch with a push of a button, which makes it an ideal fit for applications with high loads or long cable runs.

Perhaps you have an application where multiple latches are connected to the same keypad or controller. Or an application where you do not want a door ejected by the latch. Or maybe vandal resistance is a key concern driving latch selection. Well, Southco’s Delayed Re-lock R4-EM takes the versatile rotary latch technology of its predecessor and marries it with the ability to control the unlock time.

The new version electrically unlocks to enable manual release. A signal is sent to the latch and the trigger is moved to the unlocked position for as long as the signal is present. So a door can remain open or closed for as long as you wish. When the signal is removed, the trigger moves back to the locked position so the door can be pushed closed and secured. It’s as simple as that. And the benefits are plentiful, including low power consumption, high load capability, optional feedback and simple installation. There is nothing else available that provides the performance of this latch in such a compact size. It’s got a lot of punch in an efficient package.

To share your thoughts on the R4-EM rotary latch or learn more about Southco’s complete Electronic Access offerings, email us or visit our site at http://www.southco.com